This text was written by Juliano Mer-Khamis, an artist, half Jewish, half Muslim, and torn
between these two worlds.

It is not a call for violence,
but a text adopting the very powerful, ancient Israeli myth of Mesada,
and turning it into a Palestinian myth of bravery.
The original text was written by yosefus Plavius - the Roman historian.
On a deeper level, the style which mixes an ancient Israeli text
with a current Palestinian one, forms an amalgamated story of the two peoples.

The myth of Massada was Buried In Jenin

In the battle of Jenin the Palestinian People erected the mountain of Massada. The Jewish myth
of heroism and sacrifice was buried under mountains of bodies of Palestinian Freedom
Fighters, killed by Israeli soldiers in the alleys of the Refugee Camp of Jenin. Generations
will climb this mountain up to the camp with respect in memory of the Fighters.

"...they [the Israeli Soldiers] came within the palace, and so met with the multitude of the
slain, but could take no pleasure in the fact, though it were done to their enemies. Nor could
they do other than wonder at the courage of their resolution, and the immovable contempt of
death which so great a number of them had shown, when they went through with such an action as
that was".

Even if the whole West Bank surrenders, the gallantry of Jenin will never BE forgotten. The
shouts of pleasure of the Israeli who stood at the gates of the Camp tipped the scale. A little
gap, as small as a needle hole, opened for the Freedom Fighters to fight their avenge over open
graves , the cheering enemy, as they listen to their People's cries with spirits of martyrs.

"...let us die before we become slaves under our enemies, and let us go out of the world,
together with our children, and our wives, in a state of freedom. This it is that our laws
command us to do, while the Romans desire the contrary, and are afraid lest any of us should die
before we are taken. Let us therefore make haste, and instead of affording them so much
pleasure, as they hope for in getting us under their power, let us leave them an example which
shall at once cause their astonishment at our death, and their admiration of our hardiness
therein".

The Israeli army together with the whole world, like Flavius Silva who lead the Roman army,
will witness in astonishment the heroic deeds. The Palestinian children, thrilled by these
great acts of the spirit, will cheer for the heroic fighters. Hundreds of generations will
raise the torch of revolt that was ignited in Jenin. The blood of a few besieged fighters will
erase the memory of 30 years of occupation. Truncated olive trees are being planted with seeds
of hate, in memory of the fighters. The Earth opens her mouth and embraces them in mass graves.

"But first let us destroy our money and the fortress by fire; for I am well assured that this
would be a great grief to the Romans, that they shall not be able to seize upon our bodies, and
shall fail of our wealth also; and let us spare nothing but our provisions; for they will be a
testimonial when we are dead, that we were not subdued for want of necessaries, but that,
according to our original resolution, we have preferred death before slavery".

We ought to say here: Praised be the fighters, for they die in their war for freedom and not by
selling it.